Braised Halibut Steaks with Shrimp and Mushrooms: PET Update

[mvscal]

This is a classic recipe from the U&L of Spain (Galicia). Well they don't use halibut much, but hake isn't easy to find in Cali. Galician wine is easier to find. The recipe calls for an albariño for the table and for the fish. I found several of them at Bevmo. I'd never heard of it before I ran across it in Food and Wine but this is, by far, the best white for cooking I have ever used. It has an almost citrusy character when reduced. It is just outstanding.

1 lbs halibut steaks
1/4 lbs shrimp, shelled & deveined
1/2 lbs cremini or white button mushrooms sliced
1 shallot finely diced
2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
3/4 cup albariño wine
evoo
s&p



Heat 1 tbs or so olive oil in large saute pan. Add shrimp and saute over med heat till done. Transfer to bowl.



Add another tbs or so of oil, raise heat to med-high and saute mushrooms until browned and their liquid cooked off (~7 minutes). Push to the side of the pan and move pan so it is only halfway over burner, add another tbs oil and shallots and garlic. Reduce heat to med. and cook for a couple minutes. Mix the mushrooms and garlic, season lightly with s&p and transfer to dish with shrimp.



Season halibut with s&p, deglaze pan with wine then pour it off into shrimp & shrooms, add more evoo to the pan and saute for about 3-5 minutes depending on thickness of steak.




Carefully turn fish over (if some of it flakes off don't sweat it. It will add to the sauce. Add wine, cover pan and cook for about 5 to 10 minutes until done. Remove fish to individual plates.



Turn heat to high and reduce pan juices slightly then return shrimp and mushrooms and heat through.




Season with s&p as needed and top fish with sauce.

[indyfrisco]

Don't forget the baguette to mop up the sauce.

Works on all kinds of "sauce".

-Screw_Mopping

[missjo]

you know hake is one of the terms that is used for fillet of shark don't you?

[mvscal]

Uh, no. Not in the US anyway and definitely not in the Bay of Biscay. It's related to cod.

[Mikey]

I will have to try this sometime if I can find the wine. That seems to be a necessary ingredient.

Love some halibut but it tends to be pretty delicate and doesn't always hold up well on the grill. It also calls out for a good sauce. Garlic butter does well on it but this sounds really good.

Ever tried it with fillets instead of steaks? For some reason our local market, when they have halibut, usually just has the fillets.

[mvscal]

Haven't tried it with filets, but I'm sure it would be fine as would most any white fish like cod or sole. You would just need to adjust cooking times appropriately. If I used filets though, I would probably just poach them in the wine with some shallots instead of braising them.

Yeah, I would definitely make an effort to get the wine. You can get it at Bevmo. If you don't have one near you, you can order it online and they'll ship it to you. They had it on one of their 'buy one bottle get the second for a nickel' sales. Go with the Martin Codax.

Seriously, I highly recommend this recipe. I don't know if it was the wine or what but it's pretty straight forward and was one of the best things I've made. It was $30 a plate in a nice restaurant good.

[mvscal]

it tends to be pretty delicate and doesn't always hold up well on the grill.

Have you ever used one of these?



The OL just picked one up for me last week but I haven't used it yet.

[indyfrisco]

I use one of these. Works great.

[Mikey]

Decided last night that I had to try this out.

They don't carry the albariño at our local market so I used a not-too-dry sauv blanc. I used creminis, and spooned some of the shrimp, shrooms and sauce over a side of fresh linguine. Fixed up a caesar salad on the side and had some crusty sourdough to go with it. Made about 1 1/3 recipe for three people. It was plenty of food and the whole thing was excellent.

Will have to try it again when I can find the wine. Maybe I'll wait until the halibut is under $17.00/lb too.

[mvscal]

Maybe I'll wait until the halibut is under $17.00/lb too.

Don't hold your breath. It's still cheaper than a restaurant dinner and just as good if not better.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

What is the benefit of using shallots over onions? Just more flavor?

[Mikey]

Makes you seem more "culinary", for one thing.

[Goober McTuber]

What is the benefit of using shallots over onions? Just more flavor?

Shallots are milder, a bit more subtle and generally less over-powering. I use shallots a lot.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

I see. There aren't many instances in which I find onions overpowering...probably cuz I love onions.

[Goober McTuber]

I love onions as well. They can be a bit much with milder flavors like halibut. Just back out of the thread and go get yourself a gyro or a corn dog.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

I should go eat a corn dog because I like onions?

[Goober McTuber]

No, you should go eat a corn dog because it would satisfy your unsophisticated palate. And because it's shaped like a dick.

[Dinsdale]

What is the benefit of using shallots over onions? Just more flavor?

Shallots are onions, dumbass(es).

Matter of fact, here in the Onion Capital, we don't even use that word, since it make the person saying it soundlike a pretentious douche.

They're "green onions," and the early harvest (we get multiple harvests on the Wetside) are often refered to as spring onions... which are the best kind.

Different species (and even genuses) of onions, many of which make for good geen onions.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

No, you should go eat a corn dog because it would satisfy your unsophisticated palate.

Oh, ok, Todd English. That's quite a reach, even for you. Why don't you run along, nobody asked you anything. If I need female hygiene tips, you'll be the first to know.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Shallots are onions, dumbass(es).

I meant the things we call shallots (and yes, we call them that here) vs what we would associate as "common onions." Try Googling for some common sense and you'll figure it out.

[Goober McTuber]

No, you should go eat a corn dog because it would satisfy your unsophisticated palate.

Oh, ok, Todd English. That's quite a reach, even for you. Why don't you run along, nobody asked you anything.

It seems to me you inquired as to the difference between onions and shallots. Most people who've spent a bit of time in the kitchen already knew.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

I've cooked with a lot of things, but for one reason or another, not shallots. If that makes me "unsophisticated", so be it. I'll take that over pretentious dickwad with a bikini line.

[Goober McTuber]

I've cooked with a lot of things, but for one reason or another, not shallots. If that makes me "unsophisticated", so be it. I'll take that over pretentious dickwad with a bikini line.

There's any number of things that probably make you unsophisticated. A bikini line? Please.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

There's any number of things that probably make you unsophisticated.

I don't have your pinky extension, for one.

[mvscal]

What is the benefit of using shallots over onions? Just more flavor?

Matter of fact, here in the Onion Capital, we don't even use that word, since it make the person saying it soundlike a pretentious douche.

They're "green onions," and the early harvest (we get multiple harvests on the Wetside) are often refered to as spring onions... which are the best kind.

Uh, no.

Shallots:



Green onions:



Questions?

[Goober McTuber]

There's any number of things that probably make you unsophisticated.

I don't have your pinky extension, for one.

Enough.

[mvscal]

What is the benefit of using shallots over onions? Just more flavor?

Different flavor, I would say. They taste sort of like a faintly sweet, very mild red onion with maybe a hint of garlic.

[Mikey]

What is the benefit of using shallots over onions? Just more flavor?

Matter of fact, here in the Onion Capital, we don't even use that word, since it make the person saying it soundlike a pretentious douche.

They're "green onions," and the early harvest (we get multiple harvests on the Wetside) are often refered to as spring onions... which are the best kind.

Uh, no.

Shallots:



Green onions:



Questions?

Shallots - scallions, WTF. It almost looks like the same word!!